Company of Heroes includes a built-in performance test that consists of the cut scene prior to the first mission. We have found that the performance generally reflects in-game performance, although some of the larger firefights may run somewhat slower.

The quick and dirty summary is that the 8600 cards perform way lower than we'd like when running Company of Heroes. The 8600 GTS is able to match performance with the 7900 GS, and the 8600 GT keeps up with the X1650 XT. We are disappointed with the performance of G84 as compared to older hardware in this case. Features are great to add, but we need to see market leading price/performance at the introduction of new hardware. This launch feels more like a case of two steps forward, two steps back.

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Actually, me too. Now that the 8000 series is on a uniquely (to PCs, anyhow) unified-shader architecture, it seems that nVidia has a chance to re-invent SLi.

Imagine an SLi engine that didn't simply split workload into half-frames or every-other frame. What if it simply pooled the shader resources for each frame? DX10 seems to give programmers a high degree of freedom (threading physics to the GPU, storing entire programs on the onboard memory, etc) maybe nVidia could fashion a special version of SLi geared for DX10?

I dunno. Just an idea. I realize such engineering is much easier said than done. Reply

Pooling the shader-resources of a pair of 8600GT/GTS cards would still only give 64 shaders in total, compared with the 96 of a single 8800GTS. No amount of improving pixel-shader efficiency in SLI is going to make a pair of 8600's faster than the 8800GTS. Reply

Much worse than the 8800GTS it would be priced against, plus requiring a more expensive MB, showing lack of performance improvements in some games, and probably making more heat and noise. SLI is ideal for the top end, not midrange. Reply

The thing I thought of was: 'wow, it took this long for nVidia to make a card that performed on par with the ATI 1950's ?'

Yes, I understand the NV 8800 series is top dog, but look at the price difference right_now.

Anyhow, I would have to agree, these comparred to the older 8800's are much weaker, but there is a niche for everyone/everything, as not everyone can afford $300+ for a good video card, and these seem like they would fill the general purpose niche very well, not to mention play back HD content decently also.

After seeing how many NV 6200's have come through our shops here, I have very little doubt, that Dell/eMachine owners nation wide will be gobbling these up left and right . . .

The MSI 8600GTS OC was in stock @$189.99 on ZipZoomFly the day of release and still available from stock. (The MSI 8500GT was also in stock at ZZF the day of release of these cards @ $99.99, but is now out of stock.) Reply